Portable inventory apparatus



Dec'. 25, 1962 G. J. MEHLMAN PORTABLE INVENTORY APPARATUS 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed May 23, 1960 IN VENTOR Gerald J Meir/man ATTORNEY Dec. 25, 1962 J. MEHLMAN PORTABLE INVENTORY APPARATUS 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed May 23, 1960 INVENTOR KNPDO-IOU NFOZWK ATTORNEY Dec. 25, 1962 G. J. MEHLMAN PORTABLE INVENTORY APPARATUS Filed May 23, 1960 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 IQEIIIIHIHHH! INVENTOR Gerald ll. Mall/man BY s ATTORNEY United States Patent 3,070,297 PORTABLE INVENTORY APPARATUS Gerald J. Mehlman, 270 N. Canon Drive Iieverly Hiils, Calif. Fiied May 23, 1960, Ser. No. 30,855 12 Claims. (Cl. 235-92) This invention relates generally to computers and more particularly to apparatus facilitating the taking of a physical inventory, i.e counting a plurality of similar articles disposed in a row on a support.

In modern merchandising and business methods an ever present problem is inventory control which must be con stantly maintained in merchandising establishments such as liquor stores, supermarkets and the like. At present advised, when a physical inventory is taken of bottles of liquor, for example, each bottle must be manually or visually counted individually, this involving considerable time and personnel, and imparting in the results the increased probability of human error.

A primary object of this invention is to provide novel means for taking a physical inventory of a plurality of similar articles disposed in a row.

A further object of the invention is to provide manually supported counting means traversible along a rectilinear path to traverse a row of similar means and receive an indication or signal from sensing, striking, or measuring the width of each article traversed and in which the signal is recorded or totaled.

With these and other incidental objects in view, the invention provides marked advantages and improvements over present structures or systems of inventory taking. The improvements and superior advantages over the prior art embody certain novel features of construction and operation as clearly set forth in the appended claims, and a preferred form of embodiment of the invention as hereinafter shown with reference to the accompanying drawings forming a part of the specification as hereinafter set forth.

It will be observed that the preferred embodiment of the invention in a simple form discloses .a portable mechanical counter supported for movement rectilinearly along a row of items and further contemplates power operated means including a remote computer. The scope of invention is intended to encompass the full range of equivalents of all material limitations encompassed in the claims afiording the desired results and function. Thus any means whereby a registerable signal is transmitted is contemplated to be within the purview of the invention, and the preferred embodiments are contemplated for use on linearly disposed articles such as boxes and cans, as well as bottles or the like.

In the drawings:

FIGURE 1 is a side elevation of the inventory taking apparatus shown in relation to a row of bottles shown in phantom lines on a shelf and abutting a rear wall;

FIGURE 2 is a top plan view of FIGURE 1;

FIGURE 3 is an enlarged fragmentary sectional view taken substantially on line 33 of FIGURE 2 to show the recedable guide finger of the apparatus;

FIGURE 4 is an enlarged fragmentary section taken on line 4--4 of FIGURE 2, showing in phantom lines a fragmentary portion of the tubular support;

FIGURE 5 is an enlarged section taken on line 5--5 of FIGURE 2;

FIGURE 6 is a view similar to FIGURE 1, with a portion broken away, partially diagrammatic, showing a power operated embodiment of the invention;

FIGURE 7 is a top plan view of FIGURE 6;

FIGURE 8 is an enlarged section taken substantially on line 88 of FIGURE 6, showing in phantom lines the 2 adjusted position of the guide means and having a portion broken away to show the reduction gearing of the drive;

FIGURE 9 is an enlarged section taken on line 9-9 of FIGURE 6; and

FIGURE 10 is an enlarged fragmentary view of a portion of FIGURE 6 similar to FIGURE 3.

Referring to FIGURES 1-5, the preferred embodiment of a portable and manually manipulated inventory apparatus is indicated generally at 10. A fragmentary portion of a shelf is indicated at 12 and a rear wall at 14 and a plurality of bottles 16, such as liquor bottles, are disposed in rows and the apparatus 10 will enable a single operator to rapidly move along the shelf and mechanically count and record the number of similarly priced items.

The apparatus 10 includes a support member 18 which includes a tubular sleeve 20 including a laterally extending hand grip 22. Reciproca-bly supported in the sleeve 20 is an elongated rod 24 including at its rear end a suitable second hand grip 26. The rod 24 has mounted on its other end sensing means comprising a mechanical counter 28 including a displaceable force transmitting lever 30 for operating the mechanism (not shown) to operate indicia means 32 for registering the total number of items traversed by the counter 28, i.e. each displacement of the lever 30 is recorded.

In order to permit the counter 28 and lever 30 to engage the bottle 16 nearest the wall 14, the rod 24 is provided with a recedable guide finger 34 which is received in a longitudinal bore 36 opening into the forward end of the rod 24, the rod 24 including a longitudinally extending slot 38 communicating with an enlarged diameter bore portion 46' intermediate the bore 36. A compression spring 42 is circumposed about the finger 34 and one end engages the shoulder 44 formed between the bore portion 40 and bore 36, the other end of the spring engaging a guide-and-stop pin 46 seated in the finger 34 and extending through the slot 38.

The sleeve 20 includes a longitudinal guide slot 48 extending substantially along its entire length, see FIGURE 2, and the forward end of the slot communicates with a short lateral slot 50. The rod 24 has a guide pin 52 extending therefrom in oriented relationship to the counter 28, i.e. when the pin 52 is in the slot 48 the lever 30 of the counter will be in its optimum position engaging an article, and after the last article 16 is engaged by the lever 30, the pin 52 will align with slot 50 and by rotating the rod degrees the counter lever will also be rotated 90 degrees to insure no accidental engagement of the lever with the articles when it is withdrawn from between the rows of articles.

The sleeve 26 has a transverse tube 54 secured beneath the forward end thereof and a short leg 56 of an L- shaped guide member is adjustably retained therein by a lock screw 58 engageable on the flattened surface 60 of the leg 56, see FIGURE 4. The L-shaped guide member includes an elongated leg 62 substantially parallel to the path of travel of the rod 24, the leg 62 including a divergent end portion 64 which facilitates its movement along a row of bottle necks. The guide leg 62 together with the guide finger 34 will aid to dispose the articles in linear alignment and in the optimum position to insure engagement by the lever 30 and recording of the articles at 32.

The operation of the apparatus is believed apparent, the two handles 22, 26 are grasped in a users hands with the rod 24 withdrawn adjacent the forward end of the sleeve 20. The counter 28 is oriented so the lever 30 will engage the bottles 16 and the handle 22 is positioned adjacent the edge of the shelf 12. The handle 26 is moved forward and as each bottle is traversed the lever 30 causes the indicia means 32 to record the items. After all the articles are counted, the recedable finger 34 permitting the last article to be counted, the rod 24 is rotated 90 degrees and the handle 26 and rod 24 is withdrawn and the next row of articles is counted and a total of similar priceitems is finally obtained without unnecessary computation or recording.

Referring to FIGURES 640, a power operated embodiment of the inventory apparatus is indicated generally at,10 comprising a support member 18 including a tubular sleeve 20' carrying a laterally disposed power assembly 21'. The assembly 21' includes a trigger handle 22' and depending from the rear of the sleeve 20' is a suitable handle 26.

The sleeve 20' reciprocally supports an extendable support rod 24 which is drivingly connected to the power assembly 21 as will subsequently be described in detail. The support rod has mounted on its end suitable article sensing means 28' which may comprise a switch, photoelectric cell means or the like which is operatively connected to a remote computor means 29 which may include various indicia to provide information to the inventory taker. For the purposes of illustration, the article sensing means 28 includes a displaceaole laterally projecting lever 30 which will engage the bottles 16 and 16 as mentioned in regard to the previously described embodiment. As noted in FIGURES 3 and 10, the support rod 24 includes a recedable guide finger 34 for the purpose previously described in detail in regard to FIGURE 3.

The sleeve 20 as seen in FIGURE 8, has a vertical extension 54' which has a transverse bore 55 normal to the longitudinal axis of the sleeve 21 and rod 24 and a lock screw, 58 extends into the extension 54' in communication with the transverse bore 55 for adjustably engaging the leg 56, which may be graduated as indicated at 57 in FIGURE 7. The leg 56 is integral with an L-shaped guide member including an elongated leg 62 having a divergent end portion 64'.

In the absence of further explanation, it will be noted that both embodiments are used in essentially the same manner, the embodiment of FIGURES 61() being power operated to facilitate extended use of the apparatus in extremely large installations.

The sleeve 20 may include a two-piece construction as disclosed in FIGURE 9, including cooperating side portions '70 and 72 each including elongated insulating strips 74, the portion 72 including opposed guide ribs 76, 78 which include insulating portions 80 and 82, respectively.

The support rod 24 includes on its lower surface a gear rack 84 and secured to each side are suitable elec-.

trical conductors 86, 88 which extend substantially the entire length of the rod 24 and which are insulated away from the rod 24 as indicated at 90 and 92, respectively.

The support sleeve 20 includes below the extension 54', see FIGURE 8, a hollow casing 93 including overlying parallel support shafts 94, 55 and 96 and an inwardly extending drive shaft 98. The shaft 94 has mounted thereon a drive gear 100 drivingly engaging the gear rack 84 and being driven by a pinion gear 102 fixed on the shaft 95. Also fixed on the shaft 95 is an intermediate gear 104 meshing with a driven pinion gear 106 mounted on the shaft 96. The shaft 96 has adrivcn pinion gear 108 fixed thereon which meshes with driven pinion gear 110 fixed on drive shaft 98.

Extending laterally from the casing 53 is a suitably rated electrically driven reversable motor 112 including the handle 22 which includes a suitable switch therein (not shown) controlled by a trigger lever 114. The trigger lever 114 controls operation of the motor 112 and drive shaft 98 and thus the extension of rod 24' in the sleeve 20. Suitable control means will be provided to reverse the motor 112 either upon receding of the finger 34 and suitable stops will be provided to open the circuit from the power source 116 through the leads 118 to the motor 112.

The computor 29' may be operated by the power from the power source, however, signals received at the lever 36 will close a circuit in a switch (not shown) within the article sensing means 28' to complete a circuit through leads 120 connected to the conductors 86, 88. The extension 54 has mounted on opposite sides support bracle sis 122 which support insulated brushes 124 engaging on the conductors S6, 88 whereby the sginal may be transmitted through leads 126 to conductors 128, connected to the computor 29'. I

It will now be apparent that the inventory apparatus of FIGURES 6-10 is used in substantially the sarne manner as that of FIGURES 1-5, the handles 22', 26' and grasped in a use-rs hands, the support rod 24' being withdrawn to its rearwardm'ost position in sleeve 20. The trigger lever 114 is depressed to operate motor 112 whereby the support rod 24' will inoverectilinearly along the row of bottles 16, 16' and a signal will be sent from the article sensing means 28, through leads 120, 126, 128 to the computor 29'. The rod 24 will be controlled in its maximum position by suitable cut out switches, or the trigger lever may control a switch that will accommodate the reversing of the motor 112.

The computor 29" will be designed to afford the inventory taker various information. The section will be set to indicate the unit cost of the item being presently counted. Section 102 will afford the inventory taker the total number of units counted at the cost shown at 100 and at section 102 there will be afforded an immediate total cost at section 184 of the number of units counted at the cost shown at 108. Additionally, the computor 29 will show at section 106 the total cost of all units counted as of the moment the computor is being consulted.

It is readily apparent that the various totals of the computor may be permanently recorded on tape or by any suitable recording means, and thus the disclosed system contemplates in its broadest concept the substantially instantaneous simulating of data required during modern merchandising.

It will be noted that there has been disclosed a mechanical counter which is manually propelled during the inventorying of a row of articles. Additionally, there has been disclosed a power operated (electrical power) device utilizing an electrical sensing means. It is contemplated in this invention that different types of articles to be counted may require different types of sensing devices, i.e. photoelectric cells, high frequency transmitters, etc. and each might be used With various power devices such as electrical, pneumatic, hydraulic, magnetic, etc. It is further anticipated that various types of sensing heads might be interchangeably supported on a common support or traversing device. In view of the above, applicant intends the present application to encompass the full range of equivalents to which he is entitled under the patent law.

While there has been illustrated preferred embodiments of the invention, modifications may be made without departing from the spirit of the invention, and I do not intend to limit the invention to precise details of construction as set forth, but desire to avail myself of all changes and modifications within the cope of the appended claims.

I claim:

1. Inventory apparatus for ascertaining the number of articles disposed in a row comprising a support member, an extendible article-sensing means on said support member, means supporting said article-sensing means on said support member for movement in a rectilinear path, and totalizing means operatively connected to said articlesensing means for affording an indication of the total number of articles sensed, said support member comprising a sleeve, said extendible article sensing means including a support rod reciprocably supported in said sleeve, said article sensing means being supported adjacent the forward end of said support rod.

2. The structure of claim 1; said totalizing means comprising a mechanical counter.

3. The structure of claim 1; said totalizing means being electrically operated.

4. The structure of claim 1; said support rod including handle portions for rectilinearly propelling the same.

5. The structure of claim 1; and power operated means on said support member and drivingly connected to said support rod.

6. The structure of claim 1; and a laterally disposed guide means on said support member and extending parallel to the path of travel of said support rod for retaining the articles to be counted in linear alignment.

7. The structure of claim 6; said laterally disposed guide means including means adjustably retaining the guide means on said support member.

8. The structure of claim 1; including a recedable sup- 1 port guide finger on the terminal end of said support rod for permitting said article sensing means to move past the most rearward article on a shelf.

9. The structure of claim 1; said support rod includes a gear rack disposed longitudinally therealong, and a power drive carried on said support member and drivingly engaged with said gear rack.

10. The structure of claim 9; said power drive including an electrical power motor.

11. The structure of claim 1; said article sensing means comprising power operated signal means for transmitting a signal upon movement past an article, and remote computer means connected to said power operated signal means.

12. The structure of claim 11; said computor means including a plurality of inter-related recording portions for apprizing a user of the number of items counted and the total dollar value of the items counted.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,580,192 Potter Dec. 25, 1951 FOREIGN PATENTS 424,917 Germany Feb. 8, 1926 732,903 Germany Mar. 15, 1943 468,276 Germany Oct. 19, 1959 

